Empathy. A Neuropsychological Approach

Abstract

In order for social interactions in general, and empathic understanding in particular to be carried out optimally, an adjustment of the common representations is necessary. If projecting the traits of the self upon others does not require the storage of knowledge about them, empathic understanding necessarily presupposes the inclusion of the catacteristics of others in the personal self. However, empathy means no complete overlap or confusion of one’s emotions with others, so mental flexibility becomes an important aspect of empathy. The individual needs to calibrate his own perspective, which is activated by interaction with the other, or even by his mere imagination. This calibration involves the involvement of executive functions that are mediated by the prefrontal cortex